✅1️⃣ | Hypnosis Doesn't Work Like That!

140: My Friends Will Stop Before it Goes Too Far

fter the blocks, the next present was a train. For a moment Adi thought it was a simple thing that only looked like a train in the broadest of strokes, but the thought didn't last long. Someone behind her said something she didn't quite catch, and when she picked up the two trains again she could see that it didn't really matter how realistic they were. They were trains, and they were hers.

She quickly started driving one of her trains across the tabletop, ramming it into the little pile of blocks she'd spent so long building. When the tower was demolished, she loaded one of the blocks onto the back of the train, and pulled it back towards its friend. The block fell off right away, but Adi didn't give up. She moved it back, and put the block on top of the narrow carriage again. And right away, it fell off. She tried again, and then gave up on that train and threw herself down on the floor to play with the other.

"Are you okay, baby?" Toni asked, a hand on Adi's shoulder. Adi didn't respond, but focused more closely on her trains. She wanted to make them carry the blocks, but that wasn't working. So she tried driving them in circles, but somehow that didn't stay fun for long. She still knew she wanted to be a big girl, but everything people said to her was making it easier to get carried away playing. That had been fine while she was having fun, but now almost nothing had changed and she was finding it hard not to cry. That was one step towards babyhood that she was sure she never wanted to take. But she couldn't just say the word and demand they stop, when all her friends were enjoying watching her so much.

Adi sat back on her heels and sucked in a breath. She wanted to say something but she wasn't sure what, and that only made her more frustrated. Everyone wanted to have fun, and they wanted her to be happy, she knew that. But every time she had the chance to think about it, she felt like they were tearing her mind apart, making it harder and harder for her to think properly. If it kept on like this, she knew she'd have to use the safeword. Even if that brought the party to a halt, and left all her friends worried and offended, because she couldn't bear the thought of losing her mind.

"Okay girls," Toni came closer, and wrapped Adi in a hug that was almost enough to take her away from her worries. "I think the birthday girl's getting a little overwhelmed, and I don't want to see her having a bad time today. Okay?"

"But if–" Britney started, but she barely managed a breath before Toni cut her off.

"No," the word was sharp and harsh, and Adi found herself twitching involuntarily. Toni started stroking her hair again as she carried on speaking, and that helped her to calm down a little. "No, you're not going to say her name again, or tell her how a baby would feel in this situation. I get that it's fun, and everybody's been enjoying themselves with the triggers, but she's starting to look cranky now, and I think we've probably been overdoing it."

"Does she need changing?" Garfield laughed, and all heads turned in his direction. He was younger than anyone else present, and also the only boy in the room, and maybe that was what prompted him to refrain from directly laughing at his sister in her most vulnerable state. "I was just asking. I mean, people have been saying her name..."

Adi felt Toni's hand gently pressing on her diaper, and started to blush just a little. She knew she was wet, but hear it from Garfield somehow made it a hundred times more humiliating.

"Maybe she needs a change," Toni admitted, "or maybe she just needs a little break. It's such an intense experience for a child, you know? She needs a break."

"I'm sure you know best," Mom agreed. "So what do we do now? Put the party on hold and reconvene later?"

"I'll take her up to her room. See if she wants a break or a little nap. Can you girls keep her entertained for a few minutes while I just check on something?"

"Don't..." Adi protested, but she really didn't know what she was arguing against. She just didn't want Toni to go away, because she didn't know if anyone else really understood how scared she was of this whole baby thing. Toni knew, she was sure of that. Even if she felt like she had to play along with it because of a stupid misunderstanding.

"You okay, babe?" Toni asked, and Adi found herself focusing a little more for a second. For most of the last few weeks, Toni had used that nickname in a question only when Adi had to think seriously about the answer rather than responding on impulse, and it seemed like the habit of paying attention could break through even the limitations imposed on her by hypnosis. Just a little. "I need to sort something out, okay? Something you might like. Can you be good for your Mommy while I'm away?"

Adi thought for a second, and nodded. Alone with Toni, she could just say her safeword and all this would end. Everyone already knew that Toni was worried they were pushing her so far. So after that she could come back and be a grown-up again, and nobody needed to feel bad. She only had to keep on playing baby games for a few more minutes, and she was sure she could manage that.